Indonesian Museums Documentation Project (Koleksi Kita) Officially Launched at National Museum of Indonesia

The National Museum of Indonesia today hosted the seminar “Enhancing Museum Documentation for the Preservation and Access to Cultural Collections in Indonesia”, which also marked the official launch of the Indonesian Museums Documentation Project (Koleksi Kita). This multi-year initiative is supported by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) and reflects ongoing cultural cooperation between Indonesia and the United States.

"Culture has to be the face of Indonesia. Museums, national galleries, festivals of cultures, movies, and movie theaters have to be the most upfront. That is why museum documentation is very, very important," said Deputy Minister of Culture, Giring Ganesha. "On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, I would like to give my appreciation for this event and the launch of the Indonesian Museums Documentation Project."

“Through this project, we are working to bring American excellence – the very best practices in museum documentation – to Jakarta and to the many Indonesians who enjoy and draw inspiration from these collections each year,” said Chargé d’Affaires Peter M. Haymond, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim for the U.S. Mission to Indonesia. “We are proud to support this effort.”

The seminar gathered museum professionals, academics, and government officials, featuring speakers such as Karen Karyadi from the Getty Conservation Institute, independent curator Farah Wardani, and representatives from both national and Jakarta museums. In total, the event attracted over 150 registered participants. This strong interest reflects the growing awareness and importance of documentation practices within Indonesia’s museum and cultural heritage sector.

“This collaboration brings together Jakarta’s museums under a shared documentation framework. It helps improve staff capacity and allows us to connect our collections with the wider public,” said Linda Enriany, Head of the Cultural Protection Division at the Jakarta Provincial Culture Agency. “The project is timely as it will support us to showcase Jakarta’s history leading up to the 500th anniversary of the city.”

The Indonesian Museums Documentation Project focuses on two core components. First, at the National Museum of Indonesia, it develops new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), documents high-value collections, publishes catalogues, and launches digital exhibitions. Second, in collaboration with 11 Jakarta museums, the project documents 1,200 objects, builds staff capacity in cataloguing and provenance research, and creates the Jakarta Digital Collections platform to enhance public access to museum collections and stories from the city’s 500-year history.